Four hundred and fortieth chapters government office
At dawn the next day, Chen Qing got up. Lu Xiu put her arms around her husband's neck and said coquettishly: "My husband has just come back, so I just need to rest for two days!"
Chen Qing smiled bitterly and said: "I would like to rest for two days, but there are a lot of things waiting for me to deal with, and everyone is eagerly looking forward to me. I'm really embarrassed!"
Lu Xiu had no choice but to settle for the next best thing, "Okay! My husband is coming back for lunch!"
"Just try your best! I'm just afraid that if something happens I can't finish it, so we all have lunch together. I'll try to come back as soon as possible."
"Forget it, I will be very satisfied when I come back in the evening. Husband, go and do your work!"
Chen Qing kissed his beloved wife's pretty face apologetically, stood up and put on her middle coat. Lu Xiu slowly got up. Chen Qing quickly held her down and said, "You can sleep a little longer."
Lu Xiu smiled lazily and said, "The little guy won't let me sleep in! I got up at this time when you weren't at home, and I happened to be here to comb your hair."
Chen Qing carefully helped his wife up and put on warm underwear. At this time, Yu Lian and Yu Ying hurriedly came over to help them get up.
After putting on clothes, Lu Xiu ordered the two of them: "A-Lian is going to prepare hot water, and A-ying is going to make breakfast."
The two young ladies agreed and hurried away.
Chen Qing sat down in front of his wife's dressing table, and Lu Xiu combed his hair. He pursed his lips and said with a smile: "When my husband came back yesterday, he was shocked to see so many maids and servants."
"I was shocked, there must be forty or fifty people!"
"There were forty-five people in total. I found out later that there were a little more people, but the contract was signed and there was nothing I could do about it. But after you have a child, there will be a lot more things to do. Just washing diapers requires a dedicated person, and I have to hire another
Wet nurse."
"Is there a suitable wet nurse?" Chen Qingxiao asked.
"I'm looking for it! Master said she would introduce one to me."
Chen Qing was startled, then laughed dumbly and said, "Does she have such a wide network of contacts?"
"She is very busy now! As soon as Yi'an Teahouse opened, people came to visit her every day, and some came from Chengdu. The master was so busy that no one could be seen all day long. She also established a Yi'an Club and spent all day with a group of people.
People talk about poetry and Taoism, and they give guidance to the world."
Speaking of this, Lu Xiu suddenly remembered something, "Master said that he would recommend a talent to your husband. It turns out that he is also a county magistrate. His name seems to be Zhu. By the way, call Zhu Sui and recommend him to you as a staff member."
"Zhu Sui?" Chen Qing felt that the name sounded familiar, but couldn't remember where he had heard it before, so he nodded, "I'll ask later."
At this time, Yu Lian brought hot water, Chen Qing finished washing up, went to have breakfast, and then went out to the Jiedu government office.
The official office of Jiedu Mansion is located in the north of the city, covering an area of about 30 acres. It is composed of the official office, the intelligence office, a small military camp and a warehouse. Enter from the main entrance and walk along the central axis. After passing three doors, you will find the official office of Jiedu Mansion. On both sides are six
Caoguan Yamen currently has officials, more than 20 staff members, and nearly 100 employees. All kinds of trivial matters are usually taken care of by Zhang Xiao, who records affairs and joins the army.
Walking into the courtyard, the courtyard is elegantly decorated, with rockeries, fish ponds, and clusters of wintersweet and plum blossoms in the corners.
The official room is very large, at least 500 square meters, like a small palace, consisting of five rooms inside and outside.
There are five outer rooms, one is the waiting hall, where officials wait for their call, and the two military rooms are also on both sides, and next to them are the meeting hall and the clerk's room. The five outer rooms occupy more than 400 square meters.
There are also two back rooms, one is the main official room, and there is a small lounge inside.
Chen Qing walked around his main official room. Although it was far from being comparable to the empty outer hall, it was indeed very large. This room was at least seventy square meters.
The walls are surrounded by bookshelves and maps. There is an incense burner in the northeast corner. Green smoke is rising from the incense burner. Chen Qing sits down in front of his large table. He used to be in military camps. The table is not big, but this table is big.
, much larger than the boss table in later generations.
Chen Qing knocked on the wood. It was the same wood as the furniture in his house. It was red beech wood, a specialty of Longxi. It was thick, well made, and painted black and shiny. This kind of wood is generally used for bows and arrows. It has a high density and can be used as a table.
It's not expensive, but it's still good furniture.
There is a large box and a bookcase next to it. They are still empty, but there are dozens of documents on the table.
The so-called ultimatum is an official document with front and back covers. The paper inside is neatly folded and can be opened and closed. The content is written on the cover and must be stamped.
Chen Qing opened the first ultimatum. It was a talent recruited by Jiedu Mansion in the name of a professor of state studies. There were densely written in small characters, including each person's name and resume, and there were as many as thirty-five people.
Some of them have been appointed as Liucao to join the army, as well as Sima, judge, secretary-general, etc.
At this time, a little tea boy, about seven or eight years old, came in and skillfully placed a pot of fried tea on the table. Chen Qingxiao asked, "Are you the tea boy?"
The tea boy bowed obediently and said, "Exactly!"
"May I have your name?"
"The villain's name is Brother Fu, which is the name Mr. Zhang gave me."
It is very common for tea boys to be used in government offices. Most of these tea boys are illiterate, so we are not afraid of them stealing secrets. Secondly, they are simple in character and making tea is relatively safe. Of course, they are not only responsible for boiling water and making tea, but also running errands and delivering letters within the government offices.
It's become a habit.
Chen Qing had seen many people in Lin'an, so it was not surprising that he picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup of tea. Of course, you can also ask the tea boy to pour tea, but many officials have expensive tea cups and are not willing to let the tea boy touch them.
, it would be more secure if they poured the tea themselves.
At this time, Zhang Xiao walked in quickly, clasped his fists and said with a smile: "Jiedushi, you should get used to it!"
Chen Qing smiled and nodded, "Fortunately, it's a little more comfortable than in the military camp."
Zhang Xiao smiled slightly and said: "In the military camp, it is under the control of the capital, here it is the military governor, and the military camp will continue to be preserved. It is convenient for you to watch the military governor."
Chen Qing asked Zhang Xiao to sit down. At this time, Brother Fu came in and served tea.
When the tea boy retreated, Zhang Xiao sighed and said: "His father was a Song soldier. He was killed in the Battle of Fuping, leaving behind a wife and two sons. His wife did not remarry, and he worked hard to raise his two sons.
Da, I saw that the three of them were really pitiful, so I arranged for their brothers to work as tea boys in the government offices. Each of them earned thirty cash a day, which was enough to rent a house and eat."
Chen Qing nodded, "They should actually go to school."
"It is not practical for their family to study. Their mother is sick, and the two brothers have to earn money to support the family. In the next few years, I will consider setting up a one-year school, which will allow them to study for at least one year and learn several thousand words, that is,
enough."
"Let's talk about the iron ore matter. Did it go well?" Chen Qing changed the topic.
"The iron mine has been in operation for a long time. Twenty thousand prisoners of war are mining in the iron mine. Everything is going relatively smoothly. In just over a month, hundreds of thousands of kilograms of ore have been produced, and the output will increase in the future."
"Are those prisoners of war easy to manage? Did they cause any trouble or rebellion?" Chen Qing asked again.
"Fortunately, the key is to give them hope. I will tell them clearly that I will wait for Xixia to redeem them. If Xixia is really unwilling to redeem them, let them go home after five years of mining. I will also find someone to replace them.
Write a letter home and give it to the Xixia envoy this time."
Speaking of the Xixia special envoy, Chen Qing asked: "Is the special envoy still there?"
"The special envoy has gone back. The purpose of his coming is also very simple. The first is to treat the prisoners of war well and not to kill them. They will send people to redeem them after the spring tomorrow. The second is to suspend the war this winter and wait until the spring next year.
, the special envoy left a personal letter from the Emperor of Xixia to the Jiedushi. If the Jiedushi agrees with their emperor's suggestion, just reply a letter to Xixia."
After a pause, Zhang Xiao added: "It was Bei Zhi and Yang Yuanqing who negotiated with the other party. We put forward a condition."
"What conditions?"
"We demand that no matter how the two armies fight, trade exchanges must continue."
Chen Qing appreciated this request very much. Xixia's medicinal materials, livestock, furs, and wine are very famous, and their leather goods, ceramics, cloth, and daily necessities are also famous. They even do transit and buy Xixia products at low prices.
The furs were transported to the south of the Yangtze River and sold at a high price. Then tea, silk, rouge, spices and other items were bought from the south of the Yangtze River and sold to the Xixia people at a high price. Both parties made the difference.
"Do they agree?" Chen Qingxiao asked.
"The special envoy agreed on the spot and even proposed to use Baochuan County in Huizhou as a trade city."
Chen Qing laughed, "These guys really know how to make plans! I am bound to win Baochuan County, does he want me to give up attacking Huizhou?"
"Anyway, they didn't say who controls Baochuan County. It would be good if we capture it and use it as a trade city."
At this time, Chen Qing asked with a smile: "I found that the outer room is empty. Isn't the secretary in charge not in place yet?"
The secretary-general is equivalent to the confidential secretary of the Jiedushi. He is a staff officer and has very important responsibilities.
Zhang Xiao took out a list and said, "There are several suitable candidates here. Jiedushi can select one or two, or ask them to come for an interview."
Chen Qing looked at the list, pointed at the second person and said, "This is Zhu Sui, please invite him over!"